Gender

Female

Location

Mumbai, Maharashtra

Birthday:

October 7

Name / Initiated name

Not initiated / Kalyani Ajrekar

Daily number of rounds of Hare Krishna mahamantra.

16

When, where and how did you come into contact with the Hare Krishna Movement?

I was always a devotee of Krsna, but did not know many things about Krsna, didnt know the process of 'bhakti', didnt know about the teachings of Bhagavad Gita. (I am learning it all, right now) I used to visit Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari Mandir, Juhu. That being very far away from my residence, visited it once in 4-5 months. And in 2004, met my school friend Vraj Priya Devi Dasi (Pune), in Mumbai. She gave me an insight of Krsna Consciousness, and told me about Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir, where I felt so much at home. From Dec 2008, became seriously interested in Krsna Consciousness and the journey began.

Name the nearest or most frequently Visited ISKCON temple/ centre and name few of the devotees whom you know.

Sri Sri Radha Gopinath, Chowpatty. HG Adi Kesava Das Prabhuji, HG Premlila Devi Dasi Mataji, HG Krsnanam Prabhuji, HG Amritanam Mataji, HG Anand Gopal Prabhuji, HG Satswarup Prabhuji, Labang Manjari Mataji. Many devotees whose names I dont know, and many devotee friends who are not initiated but following all regulations and chanting.

Please describe yourself so that other like minded devotees can find you.

1) I am trying my best to be a good devotee of Sri Radha Gopinath, trying to be a good Vaisnava. 2) I read and learn about the scriptures and the holy books written by Srila Prabhupada, his Gurus and his disciples. 3) I want to visit all the places where Krsna performed his pastimes, visit all the holy dhams, and take darsan of Sri Krsna in his various different "ras". 4) I love to listen to HG Vaiyasaki Das's kirtans and bhajans, lectures by HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj, lectures and kirtan sung by Srila Prabhupada especially his "Jay Radha Madhav" is my most favorite. 5) I am a new devotee, so I keep learning the pranaams, morning aartis and prayers, slokas and songs. 6) I love to attend the Guru Puja and Shayan Darsan. I feel extremely happy and satisfied attending Guru Puja. Shayan Darsan though leaves a very sad feeling, when the door closes and Krsna just vanishes from your eyesight, I like to see the Lord in the Shayan dress, all relaxed and about to take rest till Mangal Arti !

What are your expectations from this community?

To keep getting the association of the devotees. To get absorbed into Krsna Consciousness, to know the right path to do so. To learn the process of Bhakti. To be enabled to implement what I read and learn from Srila Prabhupada's books into my life.

Describe any specific service you would love to offer to Lord Krishna & His devotees?

Preaching, Writing, Teaching. A) Preaching to friends and strangers with correct insight is the best service I can render in the service to Krsna, to Srila Prabhupada, to Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. For which I need to develop 2 things: 1) read more of Srila prabhupada's books on Krsna Consciousness, Bhakti, Bhagavad Gita, Bhagvatam, Festivals, Gurus, Acaryas, Goswamis, Srimati Radharani. 2) develop the ability to debate well in simple language, analogies and stories. B) Writing w.r.t from what I have read and learnt, to strengthen preaching and it automatically strengthens self-understanding. C) Teaching children, making them aware of Krsna Consciousness at their tender age. As I have been so late to join our movement, it would be great if many children get exposed to the right facts about Krsna and his philosophy at a very young age. HARI BOL !!